Raipur, 26 January 2022/ On the occasion of 73rd Republic Day today, Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel unfurled the national flag at the main event organized at Lalbagh Maidan of Bastar district headquarter Jagdalpur. In his address to the programme, Chief Minister Mr. Baghel extended greetings of Republic Day to the people of the state. A Guard of Honor was presented by the Armed Forces personnel on the occasion.

Thereafter, Chief Minister Mr. Baghel read out his message to the public. He spoke about the works, policies, schemes and achievements of the state government for the continuous development of the state.

While announcing various schemes for people of the state, Chief Minister Mr. Baghel said that-

1. This year, our government would bring a practical, simple and transparent law for regularization of all the irregular building construction works. Provisions of this law would largely benefit people of the state, by allowing them to regularize their construction works and helping them to earn livelihood and live with dignity.

2. Moreover, necessary provisions will be made for regularization of business activities conducted in residential areas so that thousands of our brothers and sisters can conduct their business with confidence.

3. I am glad to inform you all that within 15 days of the announcement I made, ‘Direct Building Permit System’ has been implemented in all the municipal corporations of the state, to issue permits for buildings up to 500 square meters without human intervention. On the same lines, I announce that the building configurations up to 500 square meters, in areas outside the jurisdiction of the municipal corporations which are under investment areas, will be released within the stipulated time frame without any human intervention.

4. Decision has been taken to provide tap connections in urban bodies within a given time-frame without human intervention, on the lines of Direct Building Permit.
5. Our Government had decided to ‘free-hold’ the ‘aabaadi’, ‘nazul’ and lease lands in slums of urban areas, which provided land-ownership rights to the citizens. Mr. Baghel announced at the R-Day event that now government ‘patta’ lands will also be made ‘free hold’ in rural areas.

6. To promote entrepreneurship among the people of the OBC section of society, industrial policy will be amended and 10 percent plots will be reserved for this category. These reserved plots will be made available at 10 percent rate of the land premium rate and 1 percent land rent.

7. Under Chief Minister’s Urban Slum Health Scheme, more than 18 lakh people have been provided free of cost medical treatment in various municipal corporations of the state. In view of the success of this scheme, Mr. Baghel announced that soon this scheme will be implemented in all the urban bodies of the state.

8. Mr. Baghel also announced that the process of learning license issuance will be simplified in the state and for this ‘Transport Facilitation Centers’ will be started on a large-scale. These centers will be authorized for issuing only ‘learning licenses’. In these centers, all the services related to the transport department will also be made available to the citizens near their residence. These centers would also create new employment opportunities for the youngsters.

9. I would like to share about the steps being taken in the direction of workers welfare. In the larger interest of the government employees of the state, we would soon increase the contribution of state government under the contributory pension scheme from 10 percent to 14 percent.

10. State government will now implement a ‘5 working days per week’ system to increase the work efficiency and productivity of government employees.

11. We are committed to ensure the safety of our sisters, this is the reason why I would like to announce today that we would constitute a ‘Women Safety Cell’ in every district and utilize it effectively for women’s safety.

12. I announce that a state-level archery academy would be started in Jagdalpur in the name of ‘Shaheed Gundadhur’ to encourage archery in the state.

13. In view of the complexity of the rules of tree felling and the disinterest of the citizens towards tree plantation because of the same, Chhattisgarh government is soon going to simplify these rules in the interest of the citizens. Necessary amendments will be made in all the relevant Acts and Rules.

Mr. Baghel also announced the establishment of ‘Chief Minister Labour Resource Center’ at district headquarters and block level. Mr. Baghel further announced the launch of a scheme named ‘Mukhyamantri Noni Sashaktikaran Sahayata Yojana’, to provide financial aid for education, employment, self-employment and marriage of daughters of labour families. Under Mukhyamantri Noni Sashaktikaran Sahayata Yojana, a lump sum amount of Rs 20-20 thousand will be paid in the bank account of the first two daughters of the beneficiaries registered under ‘Chhattisgarh Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board’. Mr. Baghel said that we are going to take another major step towards providing better value for new crops to the farmers concerned. Today, I announce that from the upcoming Kharif year 2022-23, pulses crops like moong, urad, tur will also be procured at minimum price in the state.

Chief Minister Mr. Baghel said that a major part of the rural population in Chhattisgarh is dependent on agricultural labour, and this population often struggles with the employment crisis after the Kharif season. For such landless agricultural laborers, we had announced several benefits under ‘Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Bhoomiheen Mazdoor Nyay Yojana’ from this financial year. Under this scheme, financial aid of Rs 6 thousand per year has been provisioned. In December 2021, the final selection of eligible beneficiaries was done through special gram sabhas. First installment under the scheme will be transferred to the eligible beneficiaries on February 1, immediately after the Republic Day.

Chief Minister Mr. Baghel said – When we talk about our glorious constitution, names of immortal martyrs like Amar Shaheed Gaind Singh, Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh, Veer Gundadhur come to our mind, whose sacrifices and struggles made India independent. Even before the revolution of 1857, Chhattisgarh was an important part of the national freedom movement of India. Our visionary forefathers had not only dreamed of a constitution for independent India but had also laid concrete foundation for the same. This is the reason why the concept of national heritage, democratic values, and panchayat was given an important place in our constitution. The great personalities such as Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, First President Dr. Rajendra Prasad, First Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, First Law Minister Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, First Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, First Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad had laid the foundation for the reformation of India, and I salute them for their contribution, said Chief Minister.

Today, when we stand under the shade of the tricolor flag, the sacred identity of our country, we see many colors of our great heritage in the tricolor waving proudly and elegantly. This national flag Inspires us to defend our freedom, strengthen the republic, renew our faith and allegiance to the Constitution. We strongly believe that our Constitution is the proponent of our democratic values, fundamental rights, and it is our utmost duty to preserve it.
Chief Minister Mr. Baghel said- We kept our promise of paying Rs 2500 per quintal, soon after our government was formed. We kept our promises, despite the challenges. Under ‘Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana’, we have made arrangements to provide an amount of more than Rs 11 thousand crore to the farmers from the state budget. Now all the Kharif crops including paddy, minor cereal crops like Kodo, Kutki, Ragi, pulses, oilseeds and horticulture crops have been included in this scheme.

Our revolutionary steps in the interest of the farmers has boosted their morale, and as a result, there has been record paddy procurement in the state on support price. Last year we had procured more than 92 lakh metric tons of paddy and this year we have set a target to procure 105 lakh metric tons of paddy. In just three years, the number of farmers who have registered for selling paddy has increased from 15 lakhs to 24 lakhs i.e. 60 percent more farmers registering is a happy sign that the faith of farmers has returned to the government and agriculture.

Chief Minister Mr. Baghel said that the “Chhattisgarh Shakambhari Board” has been constituted for the development of horticulture crops in the state and the “Tea-Coffee Board” has been constituted to promote the production and processing of tea and coffee. Fish farming and lac production have been given the status of agriculture. “Chief Minister Plantation Promotion Scheme” has been started, under which if the paddy growing farmers plant trees instead of paddy in their registered area, then they will also be given an incentive of Rs 10 thousand for three years. Apart from this, common citizens, villages, Panchayats, joint forest management committees have also been kept under the purview of this scheme and incentive amount. I believe that farmers planting trees will also play a big role in the shared efforts for increasing green cover and economic empowerment. All these collaborative efforts will strengthen the rural economy.
For the first time in the state, 725 new societies have been registered by re-constitution of the primary agricultural credit cooperative societies. In this way, now the number of these committees has increased from 1 thousand 333 to 2 thousand 58 in the state so that farmers can be given the benefits of loan distribution and other schemes with more facilities. In the budget session 2021 of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly, I had announced to resolve more than 35 thousand pending applications of farmers for energizing irrigation pumps in one year. I am glad that energizing pumps more than the set target has been done since 26th January. Rapid action is being taken on the remaining to resolve all such pending cases till March 2022. Earlier, we had waived irrigation water tax of Rs 244 crore pending of farmers till November 1, 2018. For the second time till June 30, 2021, the irrigation tax of Rs 80 crore has been waived again. In this way, economic relief like farm loan waiver, free electricity supply for irrigation, and grants have been expanded. It is evident that we have taken prompt action in every matter of providing facilities to the farmers.

Chief Minister Mr. Baghel said “Provision has been made by the Government of India to spend 60 per cent of the amount in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) for the promotion of agricultural works, however in Chhattisgarh; we have spent 76 per cent of the amount for agriculture and related works. Similarly, against the provision of 65 per cent for natural resource management for water-forest-land-related works, we have spent 82 per cent in Chhattisgarh. In the corona pandemic times, a record was made of providing employment on a large scale in the villages under MNREGA, besides providing a broader significance of MGNREGA in convergence with the schemes of other departments. Our flagship “Suraji Gaon Yojana ” has been proven successful in laying the foundation for the new economy in the villages. Godhan Nyay Yojana has provided a new means of livelihood to rural and urban cattle rearers. So far, cow dung worth more than Rs 122 crore has been procured under this scheme. This has given rise to a new revolution in Vermicompost production and its use, which will help solve the problem of the chemical fertilizer crisis in the country. Gothans are now being transformed into Rural Industrial Parks. Initiatives have been taken to manufacture electricity, natural paints, and other products using cow dung. Now the formation of ‘Godhan Nyay Mission’ will prove to be a milestone to work on all aspects of the economic-socio-cultural utility of cow dung in a comprehensive and coherent manner.

Chief Minister Mr. Baghel said that the Public Distribution System has made an incomparable contribution in providing food grains to the needy sections in the state, but in Chhattisgarh, this system too had fallen into disrepair for a decade and a half. We have kept our promise of ‘Universal PDS’, the benefits of which have started reaching 2 crore 55 lakh people. This is 100 per cent coverage as per 2011 census. 778 new fair price shops have been opened in the last year. We started the distribution of fortified rice containing iron-folic acid from Kondagaon district, which has now been implemented in the mid-day meal scheme and supplementary nutrition diet scheme in the entire state. In this way, along with food security, new measures are being taken for nutritional security. We took immediate steps to deal with the menace of malnutrition in Bastar. Expanding the scope of the scheme ‘Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyan’ was started for the eradication of malnutrition in the entire state. With this initiative of ours, about 1 lakh 60 thousand children have become free from malnutrition, and more than 1 lakh women have become anemia-free. More than 25 lakh children and pregnant women are being benefited under the Supplementary Nutrition Diet Programme. In this way, a healthy and well-nourished new generation will become the power of Chhattisgarh. We want that the contribution made by women self-help groups in the socio-economic development of the state should gain more momentum, so a provision has been made under ‘Saksham Yojana to provide a loan of Rs 2 lakh to women to start their own business. The work of women self-help groups, who had taken loans through Chhattisgarh Mahila Kosh, had come to a standstill due to pending loans of about Rs 13 crore. We have not only waived off such loans of more than 6 thousand groups but have also doubled the loan eligibility of all the groups. Under the ‘Chhattisgarh State Rural Livelihood Mission’ (BIHAN), more than 22 lakh women have been linked with self-help groups and given employment.

He added that our rich and unique tribal culture, arts, and lifestyle is a matter of pride for us, but for one and a half decades, a great loss of working against the expectations of this society has been happening in the tribal areas. On the other hand, taking advantage of the geographical conditions and the simplicity of the society, the Naxalites also made this a center of violent activities. We have adopted a strategy of proper and coherent development in tribal settlements. Today I feel very happy to say that we are successful in our strategy, the results of which are visible in the tribal areas. We made a new beginning by raising the collection rate for Tendupatta to Rs 4,000 per standard bag. Earlier, only 7 minor forest produce were procured on support price, which will now be increased to 61. The announcement has also been made to buy Railly Kosa at a support price.

Chief Minister Mr. Baghel said that several initiatives have been taken by the state government for development in tribal areas. This includes returning land in Lohandiguda which was forcibly acquired from farmers, reopening of schools closed due to Naxal terror, freedom from court cases, review of canceled forest rights claims, distribution of individual and community forest rights recognition letters, malnutrition-free Bastar and malaria-free Bastar campaign, promotion of new types of farming like cashew, coffee, papaya with the help of DMF and other funds, formation of Junior Service Selection Commission, Chief Minister Haat-Bazaar Clinic Scheme, Amcho Bastar, public holiday on World Tribal Day, Air Service, Devguri Area Development, and ‘Madhur Gur Yojana’. In the Narayanpur district, a strong bond of mutual trust has been developed between the locals and the government through several initiatives such as the Masahti Survey. This is our biggest capital which will open new doors of development in tribal areas.

We have also started the “Chhattisgarh Millet Mission” which will work closely with the top institutions of the country for productivity, marketing, value addition of small cereal crops like Kodo, Kutki, and Ragi. Its benefit will also be mainly given to the farmers of tribal areas. ‘Chirag’ project has been started in 25 development blocks of 14 tribal-dominated districts of the state at a cost of Rs 1,735 crore, which will help in mobilizing new means of livelihood in these places. I am happy to state that 455 per cent more herbal products were sold in the year 2021-22 as compared to the year 2018 and the target is to increase it to 1100 per cent in the next year.

The ‘THINK-B’ and ‘BADAL’ academy will help the youth of tribal areas to enhance their culture, talent, academic, and innovation capabilities. In this way, positive changes are coming in Bastar with the development in the areas of education, health, employment, and infrastructure. The draft of the PESA rule has been prepared after taking suggestions from the tribal groups. I am sure that Chhattisgarh will create a new milestone in the direction of tribal welfare and development.
An ‘Online Direct Building Permission System without human intervention has been started, in which building permission for residential plots up to 500 square meters will be obtained at the earliest, relying on the document given by the applicant. More than 100 doorstep services will be made available under the ‘Mukhyamantri Mitan Yojana’. Connecting waste processing with the employment of sanitation didis and connecting various schemes of the government with wide public consciousness has given national recognition to the cleanliness model of Chhattisgarh. This is the reason that the Government of India has given the National Award to Chhattisgarh as the cleanest state of the country for the third consecutive time. I would like that many of our contributions to the strengthening of the republic through reforms, people’s participation, and development should be recorded.

We have also taken care of providing relief and employment to people with the development of public infrastructure including roads, electricity, water, health, and education. The benefit of the Electricity Bill Half Scheme has been extended to 40 lakh 45 thousand consumers, thereby saving them about Rs 2 thousand 200 crore. Under various schemes, roads are being constructed in the state at a cost of more than Rs 24 thousand crores. In a bid to make the educated unemployed youth a part of the construction works, more than 5 thousand youth have been registered under ‘e-category registration’ and they have been allotted construction works worth about Rs 200 crore at the block level through a simplified process. To increase the irrigation potential in the state, work is being done expeditiously to complete the Kelo Project, Kharang Project, Maniyari Project, Arpa Bhainsa-Jhar Project this year.

In a bid to provide pure drinking water in rural areas, under Jal-Jeevan Mission, there is a plan to provide tap connections to more than 48 lakh households by September 2023, out of which about 8 lakh connections have already been given. Similarly, tap-water schemes have been completed in 124 urban bodies and work is in progress in 44 urban bodies. The number of doctors, medical staff, and equipment has been increased manifold to expand the health infrastructure. On the other hand, more than 18 lakh people have been screened and treated under ‘Chief Minister Haat-Bazar Clinic Scheme’, ‘Chief Minister Urban Slum Health Scheme’, ‘Dai-Didi Clinic Scheme’ to provide healthcare facilities in places where the public is unable to reach hospitals. Through ‘Khubchand Baghel Health Scheme’, ‘Chief Minister Special Health Assistance Scheme’, people have been freed from the worry of expenditure ranging from Rs 50 thousand to Rs 20 lakh for their treatment. ‘Shri Dhanwantri Generic Medical Store Scheme’ was started to provide relief to the public from the burden of expensive medicines. The scheme is now being expanded to all cities.

Chief Minister Mr. Baghel said that several steps have been taken ranging from school education to higher education and from employment to developing a culture for securing the future of the new generation. On the lines of Swami Atmanand Excellence English Medium Schools, now such Hindi medium schools will also be established in every district. Playschool ‘Balwadi’ will also be established for 5-6-year-old children at such places where Anganwadi and primary school are in the same courtyard. In the first phase, more than 6 thousand such kindergartens will be started. The international standard residential school will be established in Nava Raipur. We have understood the needs of the children with full sensitivity, so for the children who lost their parents due to Corona, ‘Mahtari Dular Yojana’ was started, under which more than 2 thousand 500 children got a scholarship of Rs 2 crore. In addition, their school fees have also been waived off. We have decided to run remedial education ‘Nawa Jatan 2.0 Abhiyan’ to cope with the educational loss due to the corona pandemic.

We have not made education mere a medium of bookish knowledge, but have kept the goal clear that education should make the youth capable and employable. So far, ITI institutions have been started at 125 places in the state for providing education and training which will help them get employment. Now ITIs will be opened in each development block. 10 new agricultural colleges, Krishi Vigyan Kendra and Mahatma Gandhi University of Horticulture and Forestry have been established in three years to support agriculture as the biggest source of employment. We have opened doors of jobs on a large scale in government departments and semi-government organizations through direct recruitment and other means. Villages, forest areas, traditional skill work, and value addition of local resources have also created huge employment opportunities in the state. Due to the success of our industrial policy, 32 thousand people have got employment and a plan to provide employment to 90 thousand people is in the pipeline. To turn our dream of making youth self-reliant into reality, we have formed Chhattisgarh Employment Mission, under which we will put all our efforts to create 15 lakh new employment opportunities in the next five years. Connecting the religious places of the state with the facilities of tourism development, we have renovated the ancient temple complex of Mata Kaushalya at Chandkhuri. Besides, as many as 75 places have been marked on Ram Van Gaman Path and an action plan has been prepared for their development. The development work of 9 of these places is in progress in the first phase. These places will also become a medium of employment generation on a large scale.

The struggle for justice and commitment to rule of law is our legacy. The freedom movement was for justice. Our national leadership has always considered it to be its duty to continuously expand the scope of civil rights through amendments in the constitution. We believe in carrying forward this legacy. Recruitment of third gender youth in police force, recruitment of Bastar soldiers in Bastar fighters force, construction of 5 major bridges in the inaccessible and naxal affected areas of Bastar under the supervision of security forces, installation of mobile towers, community policing We consider increasing the confidence of the public through all this and increasing the civic amenities through all this as a step in the direction of justice. As a result of our commitment to get back the money of innocent people of the state from fraud chit fund companies, so far 840 accused of chit fund companies have been arrested, more than Rs 11 crore has been recovered and returned to the public. Efforts will be made to return more amount through large-scale attachments and property auctions. Administrative facilities are also a part of justice. In the last three years, we have announced the formation of 5 new districts, out of which one district is writing a new story of development. At the same time, the formal inauguration of the other four districts will also be done soon. We had made 132 services online through Lok Seva Kendras, through which more than 25 lakh people were benefited in a year.

Chhattisgarh model of development is playing a major role in effectively dealing with various problems arising during the corona pandemic. Our government has made all the arrangements, I am sure that with mutual trust, solidarity and adherence to COVID protocol, we will be able to overcome the third wave very soon. I request all of you to be careful. Your good health and active contribution is our greatest strength.

I have only one dream and one goal that the Nava Chhattisgarh should be built by the hands of 2 crore 80 lakh people. Nava Chhattisgarh where everyone participates, everyone gets justice, and everyone feels safe and happy. We will continue to make efforts in this direction in future as well. Your love and support is my biggest asset, said the Chief Minister in his address to the main R-Day event.